1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an aerodynamic, helium filled, free floating, perimeter weighted, neutral buoyant Mylar.RTM. toy, educational device or advertising vehicle, which is constructed to have a fixed static equilibrium and be used as an indoor toy, device, etc., and specifically to its enhanced shapes, designs, means of ballast, and balancing characteristics.
2. Description of Prior Art
The design for this invention has been optimized to it's fullest to take advantage of present day Mylar.RTM. balloon technology with its visually attractive, educational and amusing qualities.
Mankind is a very spatial creature and based on our most popular sports, the flight of an object is a captivating event. Therefore, it has been my intention for years to create a toy with tremendous playability, visibility and hang time. This invention relates to a toy but will also function as a highly visible advertising and marketing tool.
With the coming of the new millenium, and the ever-increasing demands that societies place on quality entertainment requirements, it has been my desire to fill the needs for simple indoor fun in the next century. Unlike the contention in the background of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,952 to Goldblatt (1992) that airborne free-floating hovering toys of the nature are "well known and commercially available", it is my belief that this is anything but factual and that indeed the opposite is true. In years of comprehensive research I have been unable to locate any neutral buoyancy products and, in turn, believe this to be a wide open market provided that the finest aspects are incorporated in the final product.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,537 to Bergmann (1981) it contends that ballast at the lower portion of the toy to balance the toy and secure an upright position when it is free floating is effective, however, this alone will not enhance it's play-ability, flight and spin-ability; the exposed seams and lack of perimeter weighting considerably inhibits the flight and spin capabilities. Barometric pressure is also cited as contributing factors to neutral buoyancy, whereas temperature and humidity, which were not cited, exert a far more profound effect upon the toy. The colder the ambient temperature of the air the more ballast is required to offset the buoyancy. Furthermore temperature gradient will condense water in the air, and increased relative humidity will exacerbate condensation internally and on the surface of the toy, causing further disturbance of the balanced state, and can effect the propensity for the toy to be refilled with helium. His patent goes on to state that his invention can be used outside and which, regardless of wind currents and violent throwing of the toy, it will eventually return to a predetermined altitude. It is my contention that this would not be the case, unless the toy is over-weighted beyond a neutral buoyant attitude and great diligence was applied to be aware of the toy's ability to fly away. The use of this toy is as an indoor toy and any claim to the contrary is irresponsible. Mylar.RTM. by its nature is not a biodegradable product and it has a potent reflective quality making it a nuisance to radar and navigational equipment. Every Mylar.RTM. balloon sold today is imprinted with a warning regarding release outdoors. Bergman, 4 years later applied for and received an additional U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,167 (1985) to further his monopoly on pressure sensitive fasteners and their specific locations for maintaining altitude and attitude. It still did not encompass what I believe to be the necessary and critical configurations for an optimally functional, neutral buoyant toy. In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,869 to Schipmann (1992) it demonstrates an aerodynamic toy consisting of a flexible web material with a web of annular configuration, etc., that if oriented and positioned with a helium filled balloon, will effect the flight. It is my contention that in order for his invention to have even the slightest degree of buoyancy, the toy would have to be of immense size and/or constructed of such a light-weight material, that it would prove to be either too costly to produce for the average public or the material might not yet exist. Shipmann's toy is viably buoyant with a hydrogen filled bladder, but it would be difficult to classify it as a toy at that point In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,975 to Terc 1971 discloses some specifics of counter-balancing to achieve a neutral buoyant state, but that appears to be the only correlating factor.